With the release of the DSM-5, almost half the American population will have a diagnosable mental illness.

When the fifth revision of the DSM, a.k.a. the psychiatric bible, comes out in May, almost half the American public will have a diagnosable mental condition according to the symptoms detailed inside. Nervous about the economy and what happened in Boston last week? You might meet the criteria for "generalized anxiety disorder." Quitting coffee? "Caffeine withdrawal," while technically a medical and not mental condition, is in there, too, since it can affect mental functions.

Most Popular

While only six percent of adults in America will suffer from a severe mental illness, the new version of the DSM has broadened the criteria of many diagnoses and reduced the number of symptoms a person must display, which is why many more people more fall under the umbrella for certain conditions.

At first glance, the widened criteria might not sound like a positive thing, but there are actually many great reasons for it. If more people are diagnosed with psychological disorders, it could lessen the stigma towards mental illness that still exists in our society and often prevents people from seeking the help they need. And since insurance companies require an official diagnosis to cover doctor visits, clinicians can now code in a broader spectrum of DSM disorders to help offset the cost for the patient.

But the DSM isn't just broadening the definition of mental illness — the percentage of the population seeking help for and being diagnosed withmental conditions is actually on the rise. Why is that? Times are just plain old tough. Work expectations place increased pressure on people to perform. The economy is rocky at best, and it's hard not to be nervous about the evils people seem to be capable of. We're not saying that anxiety you feel before a big presentation at work is in need of medical diagnosis, but it's easy to understand how having a diagnosable mental disorder is a totally "normal" thing to have these days.